Automobile frame



Sept. 28, 1926.

' Filed Jan. 29, 1924 INVENTOR.

M TTORNEY Patented Sept. 28, 1926.

UNITED STATES THOMAS E. MURRAY, J R, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AUTOMOBILE FRAME.

Application filed January 29, 1924. Serial No. 689,210.

In my previous application No. 639,631 I have described certainimprovements in the manufacture of frames for automobiles, whereby theycan be made very economically from sheet metal. The accompanyingdrawings illustrate certain improvements especially in the jointsbetween the parts of such frames; and applicable also to frames of otherdesign. The accompanying drawinns illustrate an embodiment of the invention.

Fin". 1 is a plan of a frame;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of a welded o'int;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the parts of Fig. 2 before being welded;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the same parts after being welded.

F 5 and 6 represent in perspective partsbefore and after welding,somewhat modified in design as compared with the previous figures; and

F ig. 7 is a perspective view of a third joint.

Referring" to the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the framecomprises long tudinal side members 1 united at intervals by braces :2,3 and l. The shapes of the parts may be varied considerably according tothe design of the cars for which they are intended, or the choice of thedesigner. The side members 1 are of sheet metal bent or drawn to providea vertical web 5 and horizontal top and bottom flanges 6 and. T. Thetransverse brace 2 at the front may be a. straight tube; and the braceat at the rear a broad flat plate. The present invention is shown inconnection with the intermediate brace 3, but it may be applied equallyto braces at front, rear and other locations. The brace 3 is a channelsimilar to the side members 1 bent or drawn up from sheet metal withavertical Web 8 and top and bot tom horizontal flanges!) and 10, in theplanes of the flanges 6 and 7 of the side members. The brace is to beWelded at its ends to the side members.

For strengthening the joint, I provide a. reinforce having flanges inthe same planes as those of members 1 and 3 so as to produce a jointlonger than the width of the f flanges 9 and 10. According to Figs. 2, 3and the reinforce 1s a channel which 1s, in fact, integral with thebrace 3 and which has a vertical web 11 formed by bending back the web8, and flanges l2 and 18 formed by bending After the reinforce is bentback as shown in Fig. 3, it is provided with a further attachment to thebrace, as by spot-Welds 14 or by rivet-s or welds or other kinds. Theedges of the flanges G and 7 are shaped to fit the ends of the flanges9, 12 and 10, 13 and the parts are then forced together, and butt-Welded by the passage of an electric current. Preferably the weldingmethod of the Murray reissue Patent No. 15,466 of October 10, 1922, isemployed, in which acurrent of extremely high ampere strength is appliedfor a very brief predetermined and regulated pe riod of time. I I

The reinforce may be modified as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In this case itcomprises a web 15 bent at right angles to the web 8 of the brace andwith. flanges lb and 17 constituting continnations of the flanges 9 and10 of the brace, so as to extend the joint 18, (Fig. 6) along theflanges of the side member a distance greater than the width of theflanges 9 and 10 of the brace- The same method of butt-weiding isassumed.

In Fig. the reinforce has a portion 19 constituting an extension of theweb ofthe brace, with flanges 20 which are weidcd to the flanges of theside member. In addition there is a joint 21 between the end of theflange 9 of the brace and the edge of the flange 6 of the side member;the weid described being repeated at the bottom. The reinforce isprovided with an additionai connection by having its web portion bentaround to form a brace 22 which at its free end is riveted or spotweldedas at 22-1 to the side of the cross'brace 3.

Though I have described with great particularity'of detail, certainembodiments of my invention, yet it is not to beunderstood therefromthat the invention is restricted to the particular embodimentsdisclosed. Various modifications thereof in detail may be made thoseshilied in the art Without departing from the invention as defined inthe following ciaims.

hat I claim is:-

1. An automobile frame or the like having a member with a web and aflange, the

end ofwhich engages a second member and a reinforce having a Web andhaving a back the webs of the-brace.v

the same plane as that of the first member, the flanges of the firstmember and of the reinforce being welded to the second member to producea joint longer than the width of the flange of said first member.

2. An automobile frame or the like having a flanged member the end ofwhich engages as second member and a reinforce in the same plane as theflange of the first member, the flange of the first member and thereinforce being welded at their edges to the second member to produce ajoint longer than the'width of the flange of said first member.

An automobile frame or the like having a member the end of which engagesa second member and a reinforce each of said members and said reinforcehaving a web and a flange, the flanges of said frame members andreinforce being in the same plane, the flanges of the first member andof the reinforce being welded at their edges to the edge of the flangeof the second member to produce a joint longer than the width of theflange of the first member.

4. An automobile frame or the like having a flanged member the end ofwhich engages a second member and a reinforce in the same plane as theflange of the first member, the flange of the first member and thereinforce being welded at their edges to the second member to produce aoint longer than the width of the flange of said first member, thereinforce being integrally connected with the end of the first member.

5. An automobile frame or the like having a flanged member the end ofwhich engages a second member and a reinforce in the same plane astheflange of the first member, the flange of the first member and thereinforce being welded at their edges to the second member to produce ajoint longer than the width of the flange of said first member thereinforce bein integrally connected with the end of file first memberang attached to it at a point back from the en 6. An automobile frame orthe like having side members of channel shape with the flanges on theinner side and a cross brace of the same shape with its flanges in thesame planes as those of the side frames and welded thereto andreinforcing members at the ends of said cross braces having portionswhich are in the same planes as said flanges and welded at their edgesto the flanges of the side members.

7. An automobile frame or the like having side members and a cross braceof channel shape united at its ends to the side members and a reinforceat said joint integral with said side member and bent back therefrom.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name THOMAS E. MURRAY, JR.

